Abstract: An improved process for preparing liquid crystal containing pitches includes extracting carbonaceous isotropic pitches with an organic solvent system which comprises at least one member of the group consisting of dioxane, dimethylacetamide, and tetramethylurea.

Abstract: A low melting point, low molecular weight, heptane insoluble, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene soluble mesophase pitch useful in carbon fiber spinning as such or as a plasticizer in a carbon fiber spinning composition is obtained by heating chrysene, triphenylene or paraterphenyl as well as mixtures thereof and hydrocarbon fractions containing the same, dissolving the resulting heat treated material with 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, and separating the insolubles, and then contacting the 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene soluble fraction with a sufficient amount of heptane to precipitate the low melting point, low molecular weight mesophase pitch.

Abstract: Heat treated pitches, especially pitches containing either isotropic or anisotropic phases as well as mixtures thereof, are spun by subjecting the pitch at spinning temperatures to shearing forces while simultaneously spinning the pitch.

Abstract: An improved process for preparing liquid-crystal containing pitches comprises extracting carbonaceous isotropic pitches with an organic solvent system to provide a solvent insoluble fraction which when heated for 10 minutes or less and to temperatures in the range of about 230.degree. C. to 400.degree. C. will upon polarized light microscopy examination of cooled samples display greater than 75% of an optically anisotropic phase.